In recent years, advances in technology, as well as ever-evolving tastes in style, have led to substantial changes in the design of automobiles. One of the changes involves the complexity of the electrical systems within automobiles, particularly alternative fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles. Such alternative fuel vehicles typically use one or more electric motors, perhaps in combination with another actuator, to drive the wheels. With recent fluctuations in fossil fuel prices, it is now more desirable than ever to power automobiles with electric power, as with hybrid vehicles.
“Plug-in” electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may meet this need, as they allow the vehicle's battery system to be charged while the vehicle is not in use. The charging of the battery system may be performed at public charging stations, such as while the driver is at a shopping mall, or private charging stations that are set up in the driver's garage at home and may be used overnight. However, such charging stations are connected to the power grid, which is capable of providing more than the maximum amount of current that may typically be safely carried by wiring used in electric vehicles. Therefore, in the event of a fault or short, an over-current condition may occur which may damage the wiring, as well as generate an undesirable amount of heat.
Fuses are often provided in the vehicles to prevent such conditions from occurring. However, because of the placement of the fuses, some of the wiring in the vehicle that is used to provide grid power (i.e., power from the electrical grid) to the charger that is used to charge the battery may not be protected by the fuses.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a charge receptacle and associated systems that minimize the amount of wiring that is not protected by the fuses in such vehicles and are fully compliant with the standards set by the appropriate regulatory authorities. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.